Adjustable athletic union suit



July 27,1926. 7 1,594,254

c. s. FURMAN ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC UNION SUIT Filed Dec. 21, 1925 2 Sheets-Shoat 1 A TTORNE Y6:

c. s. FURMAN ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC UNION SUIT Filed Dec. 21, 1925 2 sheets-shut 2 3 INVENTOR b'hgfles '5'. Furman A TTORNE YSI patented July 27, 1926.

CHARLES s. FURMAN, or LANSING, MICHIGAN.

ADJUSTABLE ATHLETIC UNION SUIT.

Application filed December The present invention relates to improvements in adjustable athletic union suits, and the object of the invention is to provide for the adjustment as to the over-all length of the garment to adapt it for both tall and short persons.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an improved neck construction, whereby the garment may be adjusted to a 1 closed position or to present a V-neck sport front.

The invention also contemplates a means for taking up the looseness in the back of the garment.

Vith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 shows a front view of a garment constructed according to the present invention with one of the shoulder straps disengaged.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the garment with the parts in a closed position at one side and in an open position at the other side.

Figure 3 is a similar view with the front portion of the garment laid down to expose the interior construction. I

Figure 4 is a rear view of the garment with parts broken away at the upper portion to disclose the inner construction.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 also in Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 7-7 in Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 8 designates generally a garment, such as a union suit, having the two shoulder straps 9 extending upwardly from the upper part 10 of the back of the garment. These shoulder straps are provided with a number of perforations 11 extending lengthwise in the direction of length of the shoulder strap and being in line centrally of the strap. The free end of each shoulder strap is provided with a button 12 on its outer surface to engage with any one of a series of button holes provided in the complemental front strap SQQtiQ 13- i The button hples 21 1925. Serial No. 76,857.

just referred to are indicated at 14, 15 and 16 and they are provided in a button hole. tape or reinforcement 17 extending lengthwise of the part 13 and substantially cenn trally thereof. This reinforcing tape 17 or reinforced section of the garment passes completely through the material and the button 12 of the rear strap 9 is adapted to be fitted in any one of the button. holes 14, 15 or 16.

Ordinarily the button holes 14 or 15 will suffice but for extraordinary large persons the button 16 may be used. The front strap section 13 is provided at its outer end with the encircling band 18 lying as to its length at substantially right angles to the row of button holes 14, 15 and 16 and having itself a central button hole 19 in alinement with the last mentioned row of button holes. A button 20 is provided upon one end of the encircling band and this button is adapted to engage in a button hole 21 at the oppo site end of the band after the band has been made to embrace the shoulder strap 9. The shoulder strap 9 is underlapped beneath the front shoulder section 13; the button 12 is engaged in a selected button hole 14, 15 or 16 and finally the encircling band 18 is passed about the rear strap 9, the button 20 being engaged with the button hole 21 at the inner side of the strap 9 and the button being thereafter passed through the perforation 11 that happens to present itself and then through the central button hole 19 of the encircling band. This encircling band holds the two shoulder strap sections in place and also reinforces the construction and prevents lateral sliding of the rear shoulder strap 9 which would be uncomfortable to the wearer. A great increase in strength is also secured with this construction.

The neck of the garment is made with the two foldable wing sections 22 and 28. These sections are shown in Figure 1 as being folded in back of the front portion of the garment to provide a V-neck sport front, while in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the wing sections are shown as meeting together to provide the normal or closed garment front. 105 The wings are triangular in shape, being foldable along their hypotenuse edges indicated at 24 in Figure 1. At the angles opposite the hypotenuse the wings are both provided with button holes 25 and buttons 26, the buttons being on theinner side of the garment with referencetwthe open or extended position of the flaps. One of the buttons 26 may enter the button hole 25 of the opposite wing in order to hold the wings in the upright position and both the buttons 26 are useful in holdin the wings in the closed position, button holes 27 being provided in the tape or reinforcement strip 17 for the purpose of receiving the button The button hole 27 is provided between the buttonholes 1d and 15 and these two last mentioned spaced button holes are reinforced, and the intermediate button hole 27, which is preferably smaller than the button holes 14 and 15 is also reinforced not only by the reinforcing strip or tape 17, but also by the intersecting flap 28. Two such flaps are provided secured in divergent relation to the inner side of the front shoulder tions 13. These flaps 28 are stitched along one edge only indicated at 29 and are left free at their forward edges in order that the corresponding edges of the wings 22 and 23 may be tucked beneath said flaps.

The flaps in addition are stitched or other wise secured at their opposite ends to the garment parts. This stitching is indicated at 30 and 31. This serves to hold the flaps down and the concealment of the wing edges beneath the flaps will make for a smoother internal garment and additional thicknesses are provided to prevent the buttons from becoming annoying to the wearer. The lines of stitching 29 and 31 intersect the lines of stitching forming the reinforced sections 17 and the flaps are arranged at an angle cross ing the reinforced portions 17 The line of stitching 29 extends between the button holes 14 and 27; while the line of stitching 31 extends between the button holes 27 and 15. Thus any tendency to weaken the button holes 14: and 15 or the button hole strips 17 by placing the button holes 27 therein is avoided and the constructions made mutually strengthening to each other.

The back of the garment shown in Figure 4 is made with the usual transverse elasticsection 32 and in addition, I provide the tab 33 having the button holes 3 1 in suitable number say four. This tab is secured to the portion of thegarment above elastic webbing and the button holes 34: thereof with the button 35 on the section below the webbing 32, so that the webbing may be drawn in by a proper adjustment of the tab 33. The length of the back and the seat is thus shifted as desired. The tab may be also fastened to one of the seat flap buttons 36* in order to hold the tab, flat against the garment.

In use, the wings at the front upper portion of the garment may be laid back as shown in- Figur'e'l with the button 26 there' of g ging imh button hole 27 aiid with th ear edges tucked beneath the titans 28-. this densities the" arnint'win present a "y:" '-i1 i' spen -front; P w

The wings 22 and 2-3 may also be brought forward to the closed position, shown in Figure 4, and secured in this position to close the front of the garment.

The shoulder straps may be adjusted as above described to change the over-all length of the garment.

The improvements may be applied to both knitted and athletic underwear for men and women.

The V-neck may be made by wearing the front opening on the outside like a coat lapelsame of course to present a finished appearance. The improvements may be ap plied to knitted underwear both for men and women.

it is to be understood that the features above described, particularly the adjustable shoulder arrangement to suit the height of the individual wearer, may be applied to mens and womens bathing suits and in general, to all apparel where this adjustmentmay be of advantage to the wearer.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit there of, such changes and modifications being re stricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. A garment of the kind described comprising front and rear shoulder strap sections having series of button holes therein, a button on one section for engaging a selected button hole of the cooperating section, and an encircling band on the other section for engaging about the section having the button, said encircling bandhaving means to secure its ends tog-ether and to secure the band to the section having the buttonhole.

2. A garment of the kind: described comprising cooperating shoulder straps at its front and rear portion, said shoulder straps having series of button holes therein, a button on the rear shoulder strap for entering a selected button hole on the front strap, an encircling band carried by the front strap having a button hole centrally and in alinement with the button holes on said front strap, said encircling band also having a button at oneend and a button hole atits opposite end, said button adapted to pass through the button hole on the end of the shoulder strap, one of the button holes of the rear strap and the button hole in the central part of the encircling band.

3. A ga "ment of the kind described. comprising a bodyportion, wings of substantially triangular" form folding upon the bodyportion along their/hypotenuse edges at the upper frontportion of the garment, secured at their-endsan'd lower edges to the inside of the front portion of the garment in position to receive the edges of said Wings when folded back into the garment, said Wings having fastening means to secure same together in the extended position, said Wings and garment having co-operating fastening means to secure the Wings in folded position.

4. A garment of the kind described comprising a body portion, Wings of substan tially triangular form folding upon the body portion along their hypotenuse edges at the upper front portion of the garment, said Wings having button holes and buttons at their upper free edges, and flaps secured at their ends and lower edges to the inside of the front portion of the garment in position to receive the edges of said Wings when folded back into the garment.

A garment of the character described comprising back and front portions, said back portions having shoulder strap sections With button holes therein and buttons on the outer free edges thereof, said front portion having complemental shoulder strap sections having reinforced sections therein provided with a series of button holes for receiving the buttons on said rear shoulder strap sections, means carried by said front shoulder strap sections for embracing the rear shoulder strap sections at a distance from said button, foldable Wings at the front upper portion of the garment, and flaps into which the edges of said Wings may be tucked, said flaps being sewed at their ends and alongtheir lower edges to the inside of the garment and said lines of stitching intersecting said reinforced button hole sections of the front straps, and button holes in said reinforced button hole section housed Within said flap, the lines of stitching of said flap through the reinforced button hole section of the front strap passing on opposite sides of said last mentioned button hole and adjoining button holes at said button hole reinforcing section, and buttons on the wings for engaging said buttonholes Within the flaps.

CHARLES S. FURMAN. 

